A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Look Who Was Enjoying Earth Day At My House!!

Click on this picture so that you can enlarge it...to see the size of this visitor to my garden. Here I was...Earth Day 2010...trying to make my little corner of the world more tidy. Now, I know that we have snakes in our yard. My first family dinner was interrupted by a snake climbing the spruce tree to get into a dove's nest. He was hungry and wanted to eat some eggs. Then I found a snake in a flat of flowers, that I was taking over to Church. I had left the flat on the driveway and while I was in the garage getting my supplies...he crawled into the flat. Then last year, while sitting on the red bench...Joe yelled, "Balisha sit still!" There was a snake coiled at my feet...under the bench. As I said before, I know that we have snakes, but why do I forget them when I start out each season. I move about the perimeter of the house, putting my hands in weeds and pulling them out. I move things around and lift leaves to scratch the soil underneath. Why do I forget them? Yesterday, I went to sit on the porch to rest...looked over the railing and lo and behold...there he was...sunning himself. I made a noise and he hissed, rattled, and coiled in his favorite pose...an S shape with head held high. Then before I could move he was down the hole and under the porch. To tell you the truth, I hoped that he would be back, so I could take his picture. I went in the house, for the camera, and came back out...there he was in the same spot, just posing for his picture. I snapped a few..inching closer and closer for a good shot. He didn't seem to mind my being there at all. I tried to make him move so I could see exactly where he was going under the porch. Then I thought that I could squirt him with the hose. That crazy snake just stood up and with his mouth open enjoyed a bath. By now, I'm sure that you think that I'm crazy, but they don't scare me. I was always the little girl with a jar of bugs, salamanders etc. but now if I was pulling weeds and a snake appeared, it would be a different story. I would be startled and probably fall off my favorite green gardening chair. This morning it is cold out and I'm sure he's under the porch. I wonder why I call little birds, rabbits, and chipmunks... she....and the scary things in nature...he? Maybe too many fairy tales in my childhood.
Balisha

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know they are beautiful and useful creatures in the garden, but I have such a phobia of snakes (and spiders!) that I'd have fainted dead away. Shudder! :)

Roses and Lilacs said...

You said rattled, is this a rattle snake? I've never heard of one here in north central Illinois.

I hate snakes and no amount of political correctness will change me. Thankfully, the cats keep them away or kill them.
Marnie

Balisha said...

Hi,
There was a definite rattle sound. I've read that some snakes make that noise to scare. I opened the garage door, just a minute ago, and there he was all stretched out, lying right next to where the door shuts. He went half way across the doorway. I really got to look at him and didn't see any rattles on the end of his tail.He had a bulge in his body...I guess he'd had lunch already. Then he moved quickly into the garden inching his way next to the house.This is one big snake. I think if we see him again...Joe will have to kill it. I'm afraid that he will climb up into my car and scare me to death, when I'm driving. I know he can get into the garage.
Balisha